Building unit



March 17, 1931. A. F. BEMIS 1,796,316

BUILDING UNIT Original Filed Dec. 2 925 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFIQF.

ALBERT F. BEMIS, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 BEMIS INDUSTRIES, INC., OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE BUILDING UNIT Application filed December 2, 1925, Serial No. 72,676. Renewed August 23, 1929.

In my prior application, Serial No. 33,173, filed September 12, 1925, I have described and shown columnar units provided with radial flanges and adapted to be combined in many different assemblages to form the primary outlines for building constructions. In the present application I propose to show improved forms of columnar units adapted to be used in similar and analogous manners to those described in that application. These columnar units may also be installed in building constructions in various other ways as described more specifically in my applications 7 2,67 3, 72,674, 72,675 and 72,678, filed of even date herewith.

The present embodiment of my invention involves the provision of similar columnar Units which may be combined to form the basis for any of the walls of a building such as side walls or partitions, floors, flat or pitched roofs or the like. A wide variety of materials may be used in the manufacture of such units, for example, metal, wood, or other fibrous material such as fiber board, cementitious material such as gypsum or Portland cement, fibrous or granular substances combined with a binder of cementitious material such as straw-board, chip-board or fibre board, or the combination of sand, cinders, ashes, etc., with a cementitious substance, or other combinations of these and other suitable materials may be used for the formation of the units described in this application. These units preferably have hollowed cores and integrally formed longitudinal flanges, the outer ends of which may beformed with bevelled faces of a substantial area to provide firm abutting surfaces for assembly with adjoining units and to provide surfaces for the attachment of finishing strips or material of various sorts. As in the case of the units described in the prior application, identified above, the longitudinal flanges serve to space the columnar or tubular cores of the units from one another and to form air pockets between the inner and outer surfaces of the structural wall formed by the units. In certain embodiments these units may have flanges upon one side only, the absence of flanges upon the opposite side permittingthe pouring of cement or the interposition of structural parts of a building to suit individual installations. These units may commonly be of a length corresponding to the ength, width or height of a room or bay or other major portion of a building and are adapted to be supported at their ends in the manner already described in the applications identified above.

M any other objects and advantages of this invention will also be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following description and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a building unit; I

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a wall illustrating one installation of the building unit shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of another form of unit Fig. 4 is a broken perspective view of a floor constructed of units such as that illustrated in Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of other forms of units;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a roof formed of structural units;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

g. 9 is a perspective view of a wall or the g. 10 is a section of a portion of a wall;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of a wall.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1. 2. 7 and 8 which illustrate one embodiment of the preferred. form of my invention, the unit 1 consists of a columnar core 2 which. is preferably tubular, having a longitudinal opening 33 therein. The integral flanges 1i extend at approximately intervals from the core 2 and upon their outer ends have bevelled surfaces 6 and 7 approximately at right angles to each other. The faces of the core 2 between the flanges 4 may be of any desired form, but preferably are fiat surfaces paralleling the adjoining bevelled surfaces of adjacent flanges. The bevelled surfaces 6 and 7 upon the flanges are adaptill ed to abut against adjoining structural parts and normally against similar parts of adjoining units. These units may be made of a wide variety of substances, but a fibrous material with a cemcntitious binder molded into the desired form is believed to give the most advantageous results, although lightcementitious materials such as gyps m, or granular or discrete material bound with cementitious material, fibrous material such as fibre board and many other substances may ie used separately or in combination for the production of these units.

Fig. 2 illustrates a wall constructed of these units in accordance with one manner of installation in which they may be incorporated. As shown in this figure the bevels 6 and 7 of adjoining flanges abut one another. having surfaces of substantial area to insin'e alignment, while the remaining bevels of the flanges form aligned surfaces at spaced intervals which constitute bearing surfaces for the attachment of laths, sheathing, finishing boards, or material of any desired nature. As shown in Fig. 2, for example, the units support an outer layer of concrete 9 and an inner sheathing of boards 10.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a roof constructed of units 1 in accordance with one mode of installation in which they may be incorporated with concrete 21 inserted between the adjacent cores 2. The abutting surfaces and T of the flanges 4t of adjoining units abut each other in the manner that has been previously described, pairs of adjacent flanges together form a series of ribs, which are covered by metal strips 14, which are secured by any suitable means. such as nails 15, to the units 1. Metal strips 14, which, preferably are attached to the units before assembly in the structure. are provided with upstanding marginal flanges 96 which are adapted to engage similar f inges of adjacent strips. One of these flanges may be longer than the other and adapted to be crimped over the edge of the other as shown. or. if preferred, the flanges may be of equal length and covered with any suitable finishing strip.

These units are also adapted to be used in flat roofs or floors. if desired. In such a case the flanges upon one side thereof may be omitted as illustrated in Figs. 3 and l, and cel'nentitions material 5 may be interposed between the tnbular cores of the ad joining units. This mode of assembly as illustrated by the floor shown in Fi 4-. offers an advantageous opportunity for the application of cement by the use of the cement gun, since the abutting flanges 6 and 7 forming a firm backing for the building up of a cementit-ious layer by this mode of construction. hen applied to fiat or pitched roofs a similar mode of construction may be used or the units may be assembled in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 or 8, having cement interposed at opposite sides or in whatever way best suits the needs of the individual installation.

Fig. 5 illustrates a slightly different form of unit 19 having rounded surfaces between the adjacent flanges and being adapted to be constructed of fiber board or the like. This unit of lighter construction than the type shown in Fig. 1, but has much the same properties and uses, while in certain classes of work such a member, having the desirable features of cheapness and lightness, will be preferred. Fig. 11 shows a unit of this form installed in a wall, with the spaces between cores filled with cementitious material 21 and certain tubular cores filled with similar material to form a comparatively lirm wall with spaced solid columns.

Fig. (5 illustrates a form of my invention similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but having opposite pairs of flanges joined together by an integral layer of material 11 so that the inner and outer faces of the units, as generally assembled, will be aligned with similar parts of adjoining units to form continuous fiat inner and outer walls. The flanges having their abutting edges 12 arranged in the manner that has already been described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, providing air spaces between the units in a similar manner. Gbviously this embodiment of my invention is particularly advantageous when it is not desired to apply finishing material of any form to the structural units, but, rather have the flat surfaces themselves form continuous flat inner and outer faces for walls of any type as shown in Fig. 10. However, a f asible alternative construction is provided by forming flanges 16 at extremities of faces 11 as shown in Fig. 1). The flanges 16 of adjoining units may have aligned outer surfaces and be covered with flashing strips 17, cured to the faces 11 of the units between the flanges 16. If desired concrete 29 or the like may be interposed between the units. A combination of this type is suited for outer 'alls including inclined or flat roofs.

In certain cases when the tubular units are made of fireproof material. such as gypsum, they may form lines. For example a series of these units may serve as the connecting means between a fireplace, or the like and a chimney or other suitable outlet. In other cases plumbing. gas pipes. electric conduits etc. may be disposed within the tubular units.

These units may be combined in various ways as outlined in the copending applications identified above and may not only be formed of a wide miriety of materials and have a wide variety of finishing materials applied thereto. but are adapted to form walls of various cross-sections, since cen1entitious material or structural parts may l inserted in the spaces between the flanges of various units or within tubular cores to suit individual conditions.

I claim:

1. A structural unit, comprising a coluninar elementconstructed for parallel juxtaposed assemblage with similar elements, the element having longitudinal flanges the outer ends of which have two beveled surfaces which aline respectively with the adjacent beveled surfaces of adjoining flanges, the surfaces of the element between the flanges approximately paralleling the adjoining beveled surfaces.

2. A structural unit comprising a tubular element constructed for parallel juxtaposed assel'nblage with similar units, and having opposite parallel plane surfaces adjoining the midportion of each side and con nected by inclined surfaces to pairs of oppositely disposed substantially parallel surfaces at the ends of said sides.

3. A structural unit comprising a tubular element constructed for parallel justa posed assemblage with similar units, and having opposite parallel plane surfaces adjoining the midportion of each side and connected by inclined surfaces to pairs of oppositely disposed substantially parallel surfaces at the ends of said sides, said element having surfaces approximately at right angles to said last named surfaces and adjoining the same.

4.. A structural wall formed by a series of juxtaposed columnar units each of whichhas radial flanges projecting at approximately 90 intervals, pairs of beveled surfaces approximately at right angles to each other upon the ends of the flanges, one of said surfaces upon each flange abutting a similar surface on an adjoining unit, the other of said surfaces lying in juxtaposed alinod relation with a similar surface of an adjoining unitto form a continuous surface therewith, whereby spaced aligned surfaces are formed for the application of finishing material or the like to the side of the structural wall. v

5. A structural wall formed by a series of juxtaposed tubular units, flanges upon each of said units abutting similar flanges of ad joining units, whereby pairs of flanges form spaced ribs at a side of the structural wall, said flanges also having surfaces approximately at right angles to the abutting surfaces to form flat outer surfaces upon said ribs.

6. A structural wall formed by a series of juxtaposed columnar units each of which has radial flanges extending at approximately 90 imervals, pairs of beveled surfacesapproximately at right angles to each other upon. the ends of the flanges, one of said surfaces abutting a similar surface on an adjoining unit, the other of said surfaces lying in juxtaposed alined relation with a similar surface of an adjoiningunit to form a continuous surface therewith, whereby pairs of flanges upon adjoining units form spaced ribs with fiatouter faces.

7. A structural unit comprising a columnar element constructed for parallel juxtaposed assemblage with similar elements, the element having anapproximately equilateral cross section, a hollow body portion, and integrally molded longitudinal flanges projecting from the hollow body portion with beveled surfaces upon the outer edge of each flange to abut adjacent structural parts.

8. A structural wall comprising a series of juxtaposed columnar units, each of said units having an elongate central opening and being provided with longitudinal grooves at each side of the opening, the grooves of adjoining units being arranged in registration to pro vide elongate openings parallel to and between the openings within the units themselves.

9. A structural wall comprising a series of juxtaposed columnar units, each of said units having an elongate central opening and being provided with longitudinal grooves at each side of the opening, the grooves of adjoining units being arranged in registration to provide elongate openings parallel to and between the openings within the units themselves, said units being provided with planar bearing surfaces at each side of the grooves, said surfaces being in mutual engagement with each other, the units having planar faces throughout substantially their entire extent at right angles to said bearing surfaces, said planar faces being in alignment with each other to provide the wall with substantially continuous surfaces.

10. A structural wall formed by a series of juxtaposed columnar units, each of said units being formed from fibrous stock, the units having central elongate openings throughout their extent and grooves at each side of the elongate openings, the units having planar bearing surfaces at each side of the grooves, the grooves upon the sides of adjoining units being inregistration to provide additional openings extending for the height of the wall between the openings in the units themselves, whereby there are substantially two openings for each unit, ccmentitious material poured into some of the openings thus formed to provide a rigidly enforcement for the fibrous material.

11. A structural wall formed by a series of juxtaposed columnar units, each of said units being formed from fibrous stock, the units having central elongate openings throughout their extent and grooves at each side of the elongate openings, the units having planar bearing surfaces at each side of the grooves, the grooves upon the sides of adjoining units being in registration to provide additional openings extending for the height Gil of the wall between the openings in the units themselves, whereby there are substantially two openings for each unit, cementitious material poured into some of the openings thus formed to provide a rigidly enforcement for the fibrous material, said units having planar faces at right angles to the bearing surfaces and defining the faces for the wall.

12. A structural columnar unit for juxtaposed assemblage with similar units, said unit being formed of fibrous material and having a continuous central opening and longitudinal grooves at each side of the opening, the unit being provided with parallel plane faces at each side of the grooves and the central opening and bearing surfaces at right angles to these parallel surfaces and disposed between the same and the grooves, whereby the bearing surfaces may be engaged with similar portions of adjoining units to permit the grooves of juxtaposed units to provide elongate openings intermediate the faces of the wall and between the openings in the units themselves.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 30th day of October, 1925.

ALBERT F. BEMIS. 

